Construction of bridges and other metal frame structures



May l5, 1945 D. c. BAILEY 2,376,023

CONSTRUCTION OF -BRIDGES AND 'OTHER METAL FRAME STRUCTURES Filed Jan.11, 1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 a. ik )k A IV V k Af QA @ha 1. '.l'mimlnvelzof Clla/ Ze l v l. L: L Ff.

D". c. BAILEY May 15, 1945.

CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES AND OTHER METAL FRAME STRUCTURES Filed Jan. 11.1943 v Y 4 sheets-sheet v2 t la .rra

zle'g v May 15, 1945 D. c. BAILEY 2,376,023

CONSTRUCTION OF BRIDGES AND OTHER METAL? FRAME STRUCTURES May 15, 1945-D. c. BAILEY 2,376,023

CONSTRUCTION 0F BRIDGES AND OTHER METAL FRAME STRUCTURES Filed Jan. 11,1943 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .Y V j end post is pinned to Patented May 15, 1945oons'rnuc'rloxor METAL namens Arm om mams srnnc'runas nonna ColemanBailey, Christchurch, mima Application January 11, 1943, Serial N0.472,027

' In Great Britain October 14, 1941 scale, of one of'thebasic models inaccordance dclalms.

This invention relates to the construction of bridges, towers, steel-Irames for buildings and other metal framed structures.

The object of the present invention is to provide `simple, relativelycheap and eiiicient meansv erection of metal framed structures aprefabricated braced panel forming the basic element of the structureand so constructed that a number of these panels may be joined end toend to form a girder of any desired length. The panels may also beconnected insuperposed relationship to give a, girder of any desireddepth and, further, they may be united side by side to produce a girderof any desired width`- The aiiixing of the panels may be eiected bypins, bolts, clamps, or other suitable means not involving the exerciseof any special skill on the part of the erector.

The invention not only provides girders whose strength (in resistance tobending moment or shear) is variable according to the form in which theyare made up but also enables the structure to be readily broken down,when required, into components of a size suitable for ease of handlingand transportation, the latter advantage applying also in the case ofthe erection of the structure.

Furthermore, when extra strength is required in. shear, as at the endsof a bridge, a special the end of a panel to provide this. Similarly itis possible to provide extra strength in bending by bolting or otherwiseattaching supplementary members on top and bottom of existing chords toprovide additional chord area where required on long bridges.

Further features of the invention will be apparent from the descriptiongiven hereafter.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one 'mode of carrying out theinvention.

1 is a more or less diagrammatic side elevation of a bridge formed inaccordance with the invention.

vation, end elevation, and plan on a still larger with the invention.

Figure 6 is an end elevation of Figure 2, part being broken away.

Figures '7 and 8 are respectively a plan and side elevation showing aiitting designed to enable panels to be secured at an angle to oneanother, and

Figure 9 is an end elevation of a section incorporating a hinge toenable an articulated joint to be formedin a girder.

Figure 10 is a section on the line Ill-I0 of Figure 9 and Figure 1l is aplan of the upper part of Figure 9.

In carrying my invention into eiect in one convenient manner, I providea basic element shown in detail in Figures 2 and 3 in the form of aprefabricated braced panel consisting in an allwelded frame of, say,Vten feet in length by iive feet in depth; in which the chords ab areeach formed of two rolled channels spaced from one another back to back,and the web or vertical members are constituted by rolled steel joists cof, say, I or H section interposed between the webs of the chordchannels.

It will however -be understood that this construction is merely given-by way of an example of one convenient form of basic panel, and thedimensions of the panel, as also the form of the units composing thesame, may be variously modified depending upon the character ofstructure which is to be erected.

The panels are provided with male jaws d at one end and female jaws e atthe other so that any number of panels may be connected together end toend as shown in Figure 1 by means of simple pin connections in order toform a girder of any desired length. Moreover a plurality of panels maybe secured to one another in superposed relationship by means, forexample, of tapered or other bolts f (Figure 2) inserted through socketsg provided between the channels forming the top and bottom chords.

The bottom chords of the panels are preferably fitted with -dowels iwhich serve to position cross-girders 1c supporting the deck l of abridge or cross-girders forming part of any other structure, the numberand disposition of the crossgirders being varied in accordance with 'themagnitude of the load to be carried or other practical requirements.

The cross-girdersr are provided with holes in which engage the dowels onthe bottom chords of the panels and preferably I provide a series ofsuch holes in each cross-girder so as `to allow their-use withasinglerow of panelsconstituting the main girder, or with two or morerows of' panels arranged side by side to form single. double. or othermultiple main girders. In addition thecrcss-girders aresecured totheverticalsand held upright by means of suitable quick action clamps1n.

When a single row of panels is employed for forming the main girder theymay be laterally braced by means of raking struts n (Figure 6)connecting the upper parts of the panels with projections or brackets onthe cross-girders and when two or more rows of panels side by side areemployed they may be additionally braced by means of smaller bracedpanels o of the same general form bolted between adjacent rows of panelseither vertically at liunctions or horizontally on the top of the panelsor both systems may be used together.

When constructing a bridge in accordance with the invention the deck lof the bridge which rests upon the cross-girders may be formed ofweldedup stringer panels made up of groups of three longitudinal Joistsp with spacing and distributing members q between and the wearingsurface l and kerbs r are placed' on top of the stringer panels. In somecases such, for example, as in bridge construction, it may be necessaryto provide sway braces s and in such case I may provide elongatedapertures t in the bottom chords of the girders to accommodate such swaybracing.

Figures 7 and 8 show a cruciform fitting u which enables panels v to beconnected at right angles (or any other angle) to one another.

Figures 9 to 11 show a special section incorporating a hinge, to enablean articulated Joint to be made in a glrder. This consists of two weldedor other posts a'a2 each having on one side at top and bottom holes b'bzby which they may be secured, by means of pins, to astandard panel, thepost a' being adapted to be secured to the female jaws e of a panel, andthe post a2 to the male jaws d. On the other side of the posts at thebottom are the forked members c'ca adapted to interlock and to be unitedby a pin through the holes e' forming a hinge by which the parts may bearticulated. By this means two'adjacent girders may be made to meet on acommon bearing and to articulate about that bearing as might be requiredon a consecutive series of bridge spans in a viaduct, for example.

A particular advantage of the invention when g asvaoss applied tebridges; for example. is that it enablesagirdertobeassembledinskeletonformofonly suiiicient strength to carryits own weight. in which form it may be most easily launched across agap. Thereafterl it may be readily strengthened by adding another"storey" and/or another "bank" of panels to the necessary extent toenable it to carry whatever loads may be required n otherwise.

I claim:

i. In a frame structure a prefabricated braced panel including upper andlower parallel chords each composed of two members spaced from eachother, joists connected at their ends between members forming the chordsto maintain them in spaced relation and forming the web of the panel,means between said chord members to enable panels to be connected insuperpolcd relation to oneanother, male jaw members extendinglongitudinally from adjacent ends of the chords at one end of the panel.and female jaws extending longitudinally from the chords at the otherend of the panel, whereby a plurality of panels may be united end toend4 to form a glrder by disposing the female jaws of one panel toreceive the male jaws of an adjacent panel and uniting the two by asimple pin connection capable of taking the necessary stresses,

2. In a frame structure a prefabricated panel according to claim i inwhich the chords are formed from two rolled channels arranged back toback, sockets being secured between the channels to take bolts foruniting the panels in superposed relation.

3. In a frame structure a prefabricated panel according to claim 1 inwhich the bottom chord has secured to its upper surface dowels forlocating cross members combined with clamps for holding said crossmembers upon the dowels.

4. In a frame structure a prefabricated panel according to claim 1 inwhich the bottom chords are formed with elongated apertures therethroughto accommodate sway presses.

DONALD consum Bam.

